The two new Hell levels in BFG Edition are very reminiscent of classic doom. Each room is unique and stands out on its own. You have a demonic cathedral, cages overflowing with lava, wide, open spaces, craped spaces, tons of action. This is how modern Doom should feel like, it feels very familiar even though it's new. They have everything it needs to make a good Doom level...except the fact that they are COMPLETELY linear, something Doom 3 never had.

Central Processing is one of the very last levels in Doom 3 and is by far the one which resembles Classic Doom the most, if you look closely you will realize that it is actually a reimagining of the ORIGINAL level which is a big bonus for me. The remastered Doom 1 texures are also a great nod to the times of old. You have tech places, subverted reality (like in E2), is relatively non linear...too bad there weren't more maps like this. The action is also pretty good, there are twice as many monsters than in previous levels.

There are other good levels as well but none ever reach greatness. I blame all the gray :(

I'd have to play ROE or BFG again to pin down the greatest levels in each. But as far as D3 is concerned... Alpha labs 1-4, Enpro, Delta 1-4, and Hell represent the pinnacle of the game's atmosphere, combat, and visual design, IMO.

Caffeine Freak said:I'd have to play ROE or BFG again to pin down the greatest levels in each. But as far as D3 is concerned... Alpha labs 1-4, Enpro, Delta 1-4, and Hell represent the pinnacle of the game's atmosphere, combat, and visual design, IMO.

Well, the hell level practically speaks for itself, it's a great level but not as good as the BFG hell levels. An attentive player will also spot Quake references in the level, in fact the whole atmosphere of the level feels like Quake. I believe one of the reasons people loved that level is because it's something other than techbases. The game practically suffers from it's length and repetitiveness.

While the game DOES change in places such as Alpha Labs, Delta Labs, Recycling... for some reason you never really feel the change. It is interesting because in Doom if you put just a FEW new textures in the next episode (like in E2), it somehow really changes the feel of the game. In doom, when you see a new texture, you really see it, in Doom 3 not so much. I can't really explain this.

The monster closets and darkness also weren't bad mechanics per se. In fact they are quite commonly found in the original Doom. The secret dark maze in E1M2, and especially the blue key room from E1M3, it practically feels like a proto-Doom 3 room. You enter e room with something good or important for you and immediately as you take it the lights go out and behind you a closet full of imps opens. Sounds familiar? That's because it IS, the problem in Doom 3 is that it becomes TOO familiar. So in the end they were good mechanics and they fit in Doom but it's as if Id were either unsure/divided on what made Doom such a great game so they decided to stick with this.

DooM_RO said:
Central Processing is one of the very last levels in Doom 3 and is by far the one which resembles Classic Doom the most, if you look closely you will realize that it is actually a reimagining of the ORIGINAL level which is a big bonus for me.

Hmm? I'd like to see more evidence of that; E1M6 from Doom 1 is quite a complex nonlinear level, so I wonder where the Doom 3 namesake nods it.

printz said:Hmm? I'd like to see more evidence of that; E1M6 from Doom 1 is quite a complex nonlinear level, so I wonder where the Doom 3 namesake nods it.

Check the thread I posted in this thread. While playing the map, if you look closely, you will find out that the GENERAL layout is similar. Certainly not a 1:1 copy but enough to call it a reimagination.

DooM_RO said:Central Processing is one of the very last levels in Doom 3 and is by far the one which resembles Classic Doom the most, if you look closely you will realize that it is actually a reimagining of the ORIGINAL level which is a big bonus for me.

I'm not sure if I see the E1M6 comparison quite so strongly, but CPU is probably my favourite Doom 3 level(s) anyway.

AFAIK it was one of the earliest parts of the game that was worked on, and it doesn't suffer for it. I love the atmosphere, I love the theme, and it's one of the more fun and challenging Doom 3 levels to actually play (if you don't use the soul cube).

The simplicity of the brushwork is a clue that I might be right, though - if you look at it closely in-game and in the editor, it lacks a certain level of polish that the other levels in Doom 3 have. It feels like it could easily have been made around the same time that the alpha demo was, even if the "hellified" parts might have been added at a later date.

I wonder though if it's a good candidate for that level linearity comparison meme, which on the left shows exactly Doom's E1M6. I wonder if placing Doom 3's CPU on the right would fit.

Don't get me wrong, I love that map too, but I also love Site 3 — it starts by looking nice and comfy in the loading image. But after you make your first step — BANG! And one or two Hell Knights come to greet you.

CPU Administration (or how it's called) is also quite heavy, and it culminates with Sarge-bot, a kickass boss.

Then there are the cavern levels, followed by Resurrection of Evil's early maps. I really like that cavern theme from Doom 3.

DoomUK said:The simplicity of the brushwork is a clue that I might be right, though - if you look at it closely in-game and in the editor, it lacks a certain level of polish that the other levels in Doom 3 have. It feels like it could easily have been made around the same time that the alpha demo was, even if the "hellified" parts might have been added at a later date.

Also, the general aesthetics of this part of the base are the most close match to early concept art and previews.

The Hell level of course, which looks, sounds, and looks fantastic. It plays okay overall, a lot of tight spaces with big monsters, namely Hellknights. A lot of Mancs too. I just didn't like the 'platforming' section with the Lost Soul spawns. That was annoying and tedious. Also made me wish the berserk powerup appeared more often. It was amazingly atmospheric though, the sound helping a lot here.

I am replaying Doom 3 in these days, so after I'll finish, I'll tell you my favourites :)

From what I can remember from my last playthrough few years ago, there was one level in Delta complex which had some design and gameplay features I liked, besides other there was a place with destroyed stairs so you couldn't get up, but later in the level you find other way and can climb the stairs down, where enemies are waiting for you now. I think it was in the already mentioned Delta 1. I know that level is mostly remarkable because of the first calm moments, but I believe the stairs are there also, maybe I'm misremembering though.

I like the second Delta level (2a) too. Although it made me rage that I couldn't get to the BFG office, this level was fun to play. Used interesting ideas, felt at least a bit nonlinear, and had a lot of tough monsters if I recall correctly. Why nobody mentioned it yet? (except Caffeine Freak, who said Delta 1-4)

As a third one... Well, I'll first finish the game and then say :)

And, I find it really relevant to mention it, I DON'T recall any D3 level that was utterly bad. I consider all good (similarly good), just some are naturally more forgettable than others. However, there are some Roe and Lost Missions levels I consider bad.

I like the second Delta level (2a) too. Although it made me rage that I couldn't get to the BFG office, this level was fun to play.

You find a PDA much earlier in the game(somewhere in Alpha Labs I think)that belongs to the guy whose name is on the office door. 'Abrams', I believe the last name is. In and audio log, he discusses testing out the new BFG, and how he's going to secure it in his office. He ends by giving the door code, which has a 0 in it. He has an email from someone explaining that they replaced the '0' in his code with a '3', because there are no zeroes on those particular door GUIs.

Actually I like Enpro pretty much, Hell, and more or less everything that comes after Hell in fact.
Never had the occasion to play BFG and ROE sadly so can't speak on that part. I must really buy a ROE copy one day.
Hell is my very favorite. It's just a pure nightmare that made me rage more than a time with all those damn Mancubi.

The problem with Hell is that it overshadows everything the player does afterwards. None of the levels seem particularly scary or atmospheric after you get back from Hell, despite still being good levels.

Caffeine Freak said:The problem with Hell is that it overshadows everything the player does afterwards. None of the levels seem particularly scary or atmospheric after you get back from Hell, despite still being good levels.

What pissed me off is that we don't spend more time in Hell indeed, I was expecting ending the game in Inferno , not at the Shores of Hell.
But still, I love the last levels which still contains some great parts (I still love the part in Site 3 where you take this huge elevator and end up in a huge place welcomed by a damn archvile and some good old Hell knights, to me it was kinda messaging "prepare yourself, shit just got real". Some "hellish" parts appearing right in front of us were sights to behold too. Without counting this damn easter egg with the Doom 1 title screen carved in a tablet it made my day haha)